Libya wants to defuse Morocco's tension with Spain
Libya-Morocco, Politics, 7/19/2002

LibyaÕs Leader of the Revolution Colonel Muammar al Qathafi has dispatched Secretary of the Gen. People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation, Abd al-Rahman Mohamed Shalkam, to Morocco and Spain in a bid to find a peaceful way out to the two countries' dispute over the Leila islet and avoid any escalation.

The Libyan foreign minister who arrived in Rabat Thursday afternoon told reporters his country can only side with Morocco in its dispute with Spain over the Moroccan Leila islet.

He said he had been dispatched by the Libyan leader on an emergency assignment to Morocco and Spain to find a peaceful way out to this problem and avoid any escalation.

The Libyan official added that Libya which is holding the chairmanship of the "5+5" group, wherein both Morocco and Spain are members (along with Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia and France, Italy, Malta and Portugal), wishes to play a role and find a solution to this issue, far from any use of force. The Libyan leader is personally granting paramount interest to this issue, he said, expressing hope that the two sides would reach a solution "preserving rights" and "shielding the Mediterranean basin from any escalation."

Previous Stories:
  Leila Islet Crisis: Paris calls for appeasement   (7/18/2002)
  History confirms Leila islet is Moroccan territory, testimonies   (7/18/2002)
  Spain's Llamazares: invasion of Leila islet smacks of colonialism   (7/18/2002)
  Moroccan businessmen meet Libyan peers   (5/14/2002)
  Kaddafi receives message from King Mohammed   (5/14/2002)
  Libyan leader receives message from king Mohammed   (3/11/2002)

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